Head 95 — LEISURE AND CULTURAL SERVICES DEPARTMENT Controlling officer: the Director of Leisure and Cultural Services will account for expenditure under this Head. Estimate 2014–15 .................................................................................................................................... $6,889.3m Establishment ceiling 2014–15 (notional annual mid-point salary value) representing an estimated 9 022 non-directorate posts as at 31 March 2014 rising by 165 posts to 9 187 posts as at 31 March 2015 .......................................................................................................................................... $2,514.5m In addition, there will be an estimated 12 directorate posts as at 31 March 2014 and as at 31 March 2015. Commitment balance.............................................................................................................................. $161.1m Controlling Officer’s Report Programmes Programme (1) Recreation and Sports These programmes contribute to Policy Area 18: Recreation, Programme (2) Horticulture and Amenities Culture, Amenities and Entertainment Licensing (Secretary for Home Affairs). Programme (3) Heritage and Museums This programme contributes to Policy Area 18: Recreation, Culture, Amenities and Entertainment Licensing (Secretary for Home Affairs) and Policy Area 22: Buildings, Lands, Planning, Heritage Conservation, Greening and Landscape (Secretary for Development). Programme (4) Performing Arts These programmes contribute to Policy Area 18: Recreation, Programme (5) Public Libraries Culture, Amenities and Entertainment Licensing (Secretary for Home Affairs). Detail Programme (1): Recreation and Sports 2012–13 2013–14 2013–14 2014–15 (Actual) (Original) (Revised) (Estimate) Financial provision ($m) 2,946.4 3,081.1 3,122.0 3,223.7 (+1.3%) (+3.3%) (or +4.6% on 2013–14 Original) Aim 2 The aims are to develop and manage recreation and sports facilities and to organise a wide range of leisure activities in order to promote recreation and sports at all levels throughout the community, which include: • providing safe and good quality recreation and sports facilities for the public; • enhancing public awareness of the benefit of physical fitness and promoting regular participation in sports activities by all walks of life in the community; • promoting awareness of water sports safety in the venues of the Department; • organising physical recreation and sports activities for different age groups, including students and persons with a disability; and • improving the efficiency and cost-effectiveness in the provision of recreation and sports services. Brief Description 3 The work involves: • formulating policies and strategies for the provision of leisure and sports facilities and activities with particular focus on physical fitness and sports safety; • developing and managing leisure facilities such as sports centres, parks and gardens, swimming pools, gazetted beaches, tennis courts and holiday camps; • organising recreation, sports and leisure activities; 726 Head 95 — LEISURE AND CULTURAL SERVICES DEPARTMENT • providing subvention to “national sports associations” (NSAs) and sports organisations for training of athletes and organising leisure and sports activities; and • providing subvention to 25 holiday camps and sea activity centres managed by 12 non-government organisations to provide recreational activities for members of the public. The subvention helps towards meeting operating expenses on staff costs, rents and rates, and minor repairs. 4 In 2013, the Department continued to organise a wide range of recreation and sports programmes with a view to developing a strong sporting culture in Hong Kong and promoting “Sport for All”. The “Healthy Exercise for All” Campaign, aimed at encouraging the general public to participate regularly in sports and physical activities to stay healthy, continued to be well received by the public. To further promote community sport, a Sport For All Day was organised on 4 August to provide free sports programmes and facilities. Pursuant to the findings of the second territory-wide Physical Fitness Test for the Community, the Department has mapped out a work plan with a view to raising public awareness of the benefits of regular participation in sports and other physical activities. More diverse recreation and sports programmes were organised to meet the specific needs of different target groups on a continual basis. The Young Athletes Training Scheme continued to provide enhanced training for young athletes in selected sports with a view to identifying talented athletes for further training. The seven subsidiary programmes under the School Sports Programme, namely Sport Education, Easy Sport, Sport Captain, Outreach Coaching, Joint Schools Sports Training, Badges Award Scheme and Sports Award Scheme were continuously organised for students of primary, secondary and special schools. The three-year School Sports Programme Coordinator Pilot Scheme, which was launched in September 2012 to foster a stronger sporting culture in schools and to provide a career training platform for retired athletes, has been running smoothly. 5 The Department continued to promote the utilisation of sports centres. The Free Use Scheme, with bookings largely made by schools, promoted the utilisation of selected sports facilities during non-peak hours. System upgrading and enhancements were made to the Leisure Link computerised booking system, which continued to provide booking services to the public through four channels, namely, booking counters located throughout the territory, telephone, the Internet and self-service kiosks. 6 The Department conducted a comprehensive review of the current mechanism for booking and allocating sports facilities and implemented a number of improvement measures in 2013 in consultation with various stakeholders including the District Councils and sports organisations. Measures introduced included shortening the advance booking period for individual hirers from 30 days to ten days in mid-June 2013 and cancellation of the “standby” arrangement for turf football pitches as a long-term arrangement in mid-December 2013 following the completion of the six-month trial period. The Department will put in place further measures in 2014–15 and review the effectiveness of these measures. 7 The Public Swimming Pool Monthly Ticket Scheme was introduced on 5 July 2012 with the aim of making regular swimming more affordable and encouraging the public to maintain a healthy lifestyle by swimming regularly. The Scheme was well received by the public, especially the elderly, with over 73 000 tickets sold in the first year. 8 The Department continued to provide subvention to 25 holiday camps and sea activity centres under the management of 12 non-government organisations, and assist these organisations in maximising the utilisation of their facilities. 9 In 2013, the Department completed the fee alignment for some 800 fee items in respect of leisure facilities and services, having regard to the principle of aligning the differential fees in the urban area and the New Territories based on the lower of the two levels. On this basis, the licence fees for public bowling-alleys, public skating rinks and billiard facilities were aligned with effect from 19 July 2013, while those for about 540 recreation and sports facilities took effect from 1 August. Alignment of some 280 fee items of community recreation and sports programmes were also implemented from 1 October. 10 The Department continued to administer the sports subvention scheme for NSAs to support their work in the promotion and development of sport in Hong Kong. The Department has fully implemented the recommendations of the comprehensive review of the sports subvention scheme and will monitor the effectiveness of the improvement measures. The Department will continue to work with the Independent Commission Against Corruption to help NSAs enhance their corporate governance in a progressive manner. 11 The 4th Hong Kong Games (HKG) was held from 27 April to 2 June 2013 with 3 137 athletes taking part in eight sports competitions and over 400 000 people participating in its related publicity and public participation activities. The HKG has helped enhance the community’s cohesiveness and promote a stronger sporting culture in the community through friendly competitions and community activities. 12 With the commissioning of the Advance Disinfection Facilities of the Harbour Treatment Scheme Stage 2A in March 2010 and the consequent improvement in water quality in the western part of the Victoria Harbour, the Department reopened four beaches in Tsuen Wan, namely Lido Beach, Casam Beach, Approach Beach and Hoi Mei Wan Beach, for public use in June 2011. For the remaining three beaches in the district, Anglers’ Beach re-opened on 20 September 2013 while Gemini Beaches and Ting Kau Beach will re-open in March 2014 after the completion of improvement works. 727 Head 95 — LEISURE AND CULTURAL SERVICES DEPARTMENT 13 The key performance measures in respect of recreation and sports services are: Targets 2012 2013 2014 Target (Actual) (Actual) (Plan) participants in recreation and sports programmes ................................................................1 785................................ 000 2 140 254..... 2 534 645 2 141 000β participants in school sports programmes ................................520 000 ............................609 190 610 720 611 000 participants